View from the Hill
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Our Mission: The Friends of Mosquito Hill support, promote and enhance View Mosquito Hill Nature Center. We realize this mission through from the volunteerism, fundraising and Hill our shared passion for nature. Winter 2011-2012 • A newsletter for friends and members of Friends of Mosquito Hill, Inc. Green Gift Opens Door for Energy Education Exhibit Mike Hibbard, Director/Naturalist The panel will display how much n October, Friends of Mosquito Hill electricity is produced by various was awarded a $2,500 grant from energy sources and how much energy Holiday Greetings to Our Cellcom through its Green Gifts is required to operate each appliance. I Interpretive signage is planned, targeted Members, New & Long-time: program, which utilizes funds from recycled cell phones to make grants toward the general public but also for our We welcome the following new to charitable organizations for green naturalist staff to use during educational members to Friends of Mosquito Hill: initiatives. Our grant will be used with programs. • Roberta Alder matching funds from FOMH to develop The exhibit will not only demonstrate • Jamie Bessette a new interactive energy education how electricity is generated but we want • Shelley Podell exhibit for the nature center’s interpretive it to facilitate discussions about renewable • Catherine Yurk building, including a bicycle like one • Harriet Zuiker vs. non-renewable energy sources and you’ve never seen before. the importance of energy conservation f you joined since July, your It’s called the energy cycle and it features in the home and at work. We hope that membership is in effect until December a bicycle connected to a generator. It it will help to change people’s attitudes I2012. For others, please note that your demonstrates how much human energy and behaviors toward energy use and membership expires on December 31, is required to operate various types of conservation. 2011. Your renewal letter should be in the mail shortly, if you haven’t received it light bulbs and common household The energy cycle display is anticipated already. Please take a moment to fill out appliances. The human energy, provided to be the first in a series of upgrades to the form and return it with your payment. by willing visitors, will be equated to the nature center’s exhibits over the next FOMH relies on your donation to support energy sources that are commonly used two to three years. Nature center staff our volunteer program, outdoor classroom to produce commercial electricity. The experiences for youth and much more. and the FOMH board of directors are display also includes a small solar panel currently working on a strategy for the and wind turbine to compare renewable development of and funding for a series In the spirit of the season, won’t you energy sources with non-renewable please consider an additional holiday or of improvements to the programs and end-of-year contribution to FOMH? ones. facilities at MHNC. We’re grateful to We’re enthusiastic about starting 2012 Cellcom for their grant and delighted to on strong financial footing to ensure The generator, solar panel and wind turbine are connected to a control panel provide this new and exciting learning vibrant programming and support for our v volunteer team. equipped with volt-meters, banks of opportunity for our visitors. incandescent, LED lights and compact Your tax-deductible check may be made to fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) and FOMH, Inc. and mailed to Mosquito Hill outlets to power appliances such as a fan, Nature Center, N3880 Rogers Road, New radio or hair dryer. London WI 54961. Secure online giving is also available by visiting www.mosquitohill. org and clicking on the “Membership” Picture this: you hop on the bike and link. start pedaling. It’s pretty easy making the CFL glow, but pedaling becomes a The board of directors of FOMH and little tougher when you try to power the the staff of MHNC send best wishes for a incandescent bulb and more strenuous Photo of energy cycle courtesy of peaceful holiday season. Thanks for being yet when the hair dryer is turned on. www.thepedalpower.com our friend! v concepts. Active learning experiences can be anything from games to hands-on activities to half day hikes. Each season MHNC staff offers learning opportunities through several day-long enrichment sessions. These sessions expand the knowledge base of volunteer naturalists and introduce different ways of teaching seasonal concepts. Opportunities to shadow and team-teach with experienced volunteers and staff are also available. A day at MHNC is as much of a learning adventure for volunteer staff as it is for the kids they are guiding. No two days Volunteer Naturalists are alike. There are always unexpected “teachable moments” that excite and amaze. Seeing the natural world of Mosquito at Mosquito Hill Hill through the eyes of kids is a reward many times over. Pete Nagan, Volunteer Naturalist, FOMH Board member Wouldn’t it be great to give some of your free time as a volunteer naturalist helping kids connect with the outdoors and fostering a shared stewardship of our natural resources? “ re we gonna see snakes? Are there bears here? What If you have an interest in and abilities to interact with a variety time’s lunch?” The barrage of rapid-fire questions of kids and adults, good oral communication skills, flexibility Aannounces the start of another school day at Mosquito to work as a team member and independently, and enjoy being Hill Nature Center with a group of excited kids eagerly outdoors then you are whom we are looking for as a volunteer anticipating the learning adventures that lie ahead. naturalist! Contact Volunteer Coordinator Pat Lund-Moe for v MHNC hosts dozens of school groups during the fall, winter more information. and spring seasons. Most groups are elementary classes from kindergarteners through fifth graders and range in size from a couple dozen kids to seventy-five students or more. Though the school groups may be large, instruction at MHNC is provided for small groups of ten to fifteen students. To accomplish this goal, the MHNC staff relies on assistance from a dedicated cadre of volunteer naturalists. Volunteer naturalists have diverse backgrounds. Some are self-taught outdoor enthusiasts who gladly share their interests. Others are retired teachers who enjoy extending their educational career. Some have advanced education in environmental sciences who generously share their expertise. All have a knack for introducing kids to the wonders of the outdoors and helping them develop an appreciation for the natural environment. MHNC has a well developed curriculum of concepts for each of the three seasons. Volunteers are provided in-depth written materials that offer many options for teaching these core Pete Nagan and students on top of Mosquito Hill. Photo submitted by Brenda Janssen. BOARD: Interpretive Building Hours: WINTER 2011-2012 Steve Bongers, Luvata Appleton, LLC, Grand Chute Tuesday-Friday: 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m – FOMH board president Saturday & Sunday: 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Jennifer Goggins, Kimberly-Clark Corp., Neenah STAFF: Rebecca McClone, Familiar Grounds & Mike Hibbard, Director/Naturalist View Book World, New London Steve Petznick, Assistant Naturalist from the Pete Nagan, Retired Teacher, Neenah Jessica Miller, Assistant Naturalist Hill Jim Olson, Wolf River Community Bank, Hortonville Mary Swifka, Staff Assistant Alan Peche, Barlow Planetarium, Menasha Chris Brandt, Outagamie County Parks Director VOL XXXVII • NO 4 Michael Reinke, NWTC, Green Bay Pat Lund-Moe, Volunteer Coordinator Tammy Stille, Educator, Black Creek Kelly Wedge, Appleton, Inc., Neenah NEWSLETTER: Tony Wickham, Praxilient, Inc., Appleton Editors - Pat Brown, Ginny Buschke, Chris Worzalla, Kimberly-Clark Corp., Neenah Susan Hankin, Mary Swifka View From The Hill is published Layout & Design - Jennifer Heisler four times per year by ADDRESS CORRESPONDENCE TO: NEW Printing, Appleton Friends of Mosquito Hill, Inc. Friends of Mosquito Hill Outlook Graphics, Neenah N3880 Rogers Road • New London WI 54961 (920) 779-6433 • www.mosquitohill.org VIEW FROM THE HILL 2 WINTER 2011-2012 Ask the Naturalist Jessica Miller, Assistant Naturalist Winter 2012: What Does the Future Hold? Through Friday, December 30 Finally Up North, paintings by Pamela Sweet Pamela Sweet would have never dreamed that she would live up north. But technology opened up the opportunity for her husband to work from home. They downsized, sold their home in southern Wisconsin and now live and work on a lake in Marinette County. No more traveling in the car to paint in natural settings; Pamela’s studio is only twenty feet from her home. When Graphic from accuweather.com she is painting outdoors, she has so many subjects right he rumors have started. If it isn’t the local meteorologist’s outside her door that she will never have time to paint them prediction, then it’s the latest report in the Farmer’s all. Almanac that has many people asking, “Will this really be T Website: www.pamela-sweet.fineartamerica.com a severe winter…again?” What I find comical is the fact that meteorologists seem to have a challenge predicting an accurate 7-day forecast yet now they are being asked to predict an entire seasonal forecast several months in advance! That said, the question begs to be answered. h La Niña is a phenomenon that occurs when the ocean surface temperatures near the equator in the central and eastern Pacific Sat., January 7, 2012 - Sun., February 26, 2012 Ocean are cooler than normal, causing disruptions of global Pictures in Wood, Original paintings and limited weather patterns. La Niñas typically produce volatile weather edition prints by Joan White in the Midwest and Northeast due to their influence on the jet Meet the Artist reception: stream.